Water-massage apparatus.



Patented Jan. 9, 1900.

H. ULLRICH.

. WATER MASSAGE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 251, 1899,)

(N o M o d e I t; .T m f H g with or without massage treatment.

UNITED STATES HENRY ULLRICH, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-MASSAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,837, dated January9, 1900.

Application filed April 24, 1899- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY ULLRICH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Massage Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus to be used fortherapeutically treating or administering to the human body ororganization or portions thereof a massage treatment, and while it ismore especially designed for the use of women in the treatment ofdiseases peculiar to the female sex, yet it may be employed by men; andit consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novelarrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will behereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide an apparatus of theabove-described character which shall be simple and inexpensive inconstruct-ion and strong and durable; second, such an apparatus whichshall be so constructed asto afford a continuous flow of air and waterthrough a conduit,the force and pressure of air and water beingregulated to the desired degree and its course directed to the properportion of the body of the patient or person usingthe apparatus, and,third, to provide an apparatus of the character described which may beoperated by the patient or user or by an assistant.

Another object is to afford a means for thermal or other kind of bathwhich may be taken In order to enable others skilled in the art to whichmy invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed todescribe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a central vertical sectional view of my apparatus, showing the partsin position ready for use. Fig. 2 is a plan sectional View taken on line2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached View of the power or water wheel.Fig. at is a perspective view of the guiding tube or conduit detached.Fig. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus, showing a modification in itsconstruction, and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view, partly inelevation, showing Serial No. 714,301. (No model.)

another modification in the construction of the apparatus.

' Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the dififerent views ofthe drawings.

A represents the tub or receptacle for the patient or user and which maybe made of any suitable size, form, and material, 'but preferably ofsheet metal and cylindrical in form, as shown in the'drawings. portionof the tub or vessel A is open, but may be closed by means of a cover a,of rubber or other suitable material, which cover may be provided in itscenter with an opening to fit around the neck of the patient or user.

The lower portion of the tub or vessel A is provided with a floor A, onwhich may rest a chair a or other suitable support for the user. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings, the floor A of the tub or vesselis located some distance from the base B, on which the lower end of thetub or vessel rests, and thus forms a compartment b, through which theconduit C passes and in which may be located burners D of the ordinaryor any preferred construction, and which burners may be supplied withfuel through a pipe d, leading from a source of fuel-supply. (Notshown.)

The upper portion of the vessel or tub A is provided with an opening 0,which communicates with a pipe or conduit E, which extends to the lowerportion of the tub or vessel and has an opening a for communication withthe pipe or conduit C, which is formed with a curve, as shown in Figs. 1and 6 of the drawings, and has its upper end communicating with the tubor vessel. J ournaled within the upper portion of the pipe or conduit Cis a power or water wheel F, which comprises a series of spiral bladesf, similar to those used on a propeller for boats. Mounted on the shaftf of the wheel F is a'gear f which meshes with the gear 9, located on ashaft journaled transversely in the pipe C, and which has on its outerend a gear g to engage the gear 9 which is journaled on the upperportion of the pipe C and is provided with a crank-handle g to be usedfor operating the wheel to force water through the conduit and vessel.As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the upper end of the pipe C extendsa slight distance into the vessel or tub A and may be The upper providedwith projections h to engage openings h in the guiding tube or pipe H,which may be made of canvas or other suitable material and has its inneror freeend provided with a band if, to one end of which are securedstraps 71. ,Whose other ends may be secured to the opposite end of theband k by means of buckles h or otherwise. Extending from the lowerportion of the band 72 is a strap 715, which may be secured to one ofthe straps h by means of a buckle 71, or otherwise.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a modification in theconstruction of my appa ratus which consists in placing the pipe orconduit 0 so that a portion thereof will be located to one side of thetub or vessel and will have its ends communicating directly with the thepulley n. on a shaft journaled in the pipe or conduit 0 and geared tothe shaft of the power or water wheel.

Byemploying the construction illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings andabove described it is evident that the water may be forced through thepipe or conduit C by the user placing his feet on the pedals Z of thecrank, and thereby turning the same, which operation will cause thepower or water wheel to rotate.

The operation of my apparatus is simple, as follows: Asufficientquantity of water may be placed within the vessel or tub A, so as tofill it to a point about level with the upper part of the supply portionof the pipe or conduit. The guiding-tube H, which may be secured to saidportion of the pipe or conduit in any desired manner, may then befastened to that portion of the body which it is desired to treat ormassage by means of the straps 71 7?, so as to hold the band k close tothe body. By operating the power or waterwheel, which may be done byhand or foot power or by means of an electric or other suitable motor,the Water and air will be forced through the conduit 0 withthe desiredforce and against the portion of the body under treatment, theguide-tube H being located so that a portion thereof will lie a slightdistance above the surface of the water in the vessel, thus allowing theair and water to intermingle.

The guiding pipe or tube H being made of material more or less flexible,it is evident that the volume of water forced through the conduit 0 maybe directed or guided in its course. It is also apparent that by usingthe burners D the water within the vessel may be heated to any desireddegree of temperature.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination \vith'a tub or vessel, of a conduit communicatingtherewith, a guiding-tube secured to the outlet portion of said conduitand having means to fasten it to the body of the person, awheel locatedin the conduit, and means to drive said wheel, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with a tub or vessel, of

a conduit communicating therewith, means for circulating the waterthrough the conduit and vessel, a guiding-tube secured to the out letportion of said conduit, said tube having the band if, provided withstraps its, and the strap-7L substantially as described.

- HENRY ULLRICH. Witnesses:

CHAS. C. TILLMAN,

A. Gus'rnrson.

